Southwest runs past Northampton 50-6

Southwest got an early defensive stop and then ran away from Northampton on Friday night.

Chris Miller-Prep Sports Writer

Southwest got an early defensive stop and then ran away from Northampton on Friday night.

After stopping the Jaguars in Southwest territory, the Stallions got a 60-yard touchdown run by DaMonta Winbush and never looked back en route to a 50-6 win over Northampton in the NCHSAA 1-AA East Regional semifinals.

Second-seeded Southwest (12-1) will visit top-seeded James Kenan (13-0) next week in the regional final, with the winner advancing to the state championship game. James Kenan beat fifth-seeded Red Spring 68-41 on Friday.

Northampton (11-3), in its first year after the consolidation of Northampton-East and Northampton-West, was the third seed.

“We were ready to play,” Southwest coach Phil Padgett said. “The kids have been very focused the last few Friday nights. Obviously we beat a very good football team, but I really thought we would score in the 30’s and score four or five touchdowns. I felt if our defense played well we would hold them to a couple.”

The Stallions did more than that.

Southwest was led by Winbush, a junior, who rushed for 118 yards and 2 touchdowns on 8 carries while senior quarterback Shak Pershey added 77 yards passing and a touchdown to go along with 2 rushing touchdowns.

Meanwhile, the Stallions held the Jaguars to just 186 yards of total offense.

“They are a great team,” Northampton coach George Privott said. “I hope they represent the East in the state championship game and win it all.”

Early on it looked as if the Jaguars would be competitive.

Northampton took the game’s opening drive from its own 21-yard line to the Southwest 40. However, the Jaguars turned the ball over on downs after losing 1 yard on first down, throwing an incomplete pass on second down, gaining 7 yards on third down and gaining just 1 yard on fourth down.

“We were trying to surprise them by coming out of the flex bone because I knew they would be ready for the wishbone,” Privott said. “But they were more disciplined than what I thought. Most times an aggressive defense like that overplays the option.”

It didn’t take long after the stop for the Stallions to set the tone.

On Southwest’s first offensive play, Winbush took a handoff and darted 60 yards for a touchdown to give the Stallions the lead.

“It was like the hole was wide open and I just had to get in and go,” Winbush said. “It woke everybody up and showed them that we can move the ball on them.”

Winbush’s long run played into Southwest’s game plan.

“We wanted to get them down early,” Padgett said. “We felt if we got them down early, we thought they were the kind of team that would have a hard time coming back.”

It sure was as the Stallions would extend their lead.

On its next possession, Southwest got a 2-yard touchdown run from Pershey that capped a 10-play, 84-yard drive that lasted 3:57. The drive was highlighted by a 7-yard run by Winbush to the Northampton 41 that saw him continue to churn up yards while being dragged by three defenders and having his helmet ripped off his head.

“We just ran off-tackle,” Winbush said. “We just kept pounding them.”

In the second quarter, Pershey added a 1-yard touchdown run that was set up by a blocked punt that gave the Stallions the ball at the Jaguars’ 19.

On the next Southwest drive, Pershey threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to senior Jide’ Brown while Winbush ran for an 11-yard touchdown on the Stallions’ following possession.

The Stallions then got a pair of field goals from Nick Matics — who will be the starting goalkeeper today for Southwest in the state soccer final in Raleigh — while Erick Buissereth added a short touchdown run.

“The outside was open everytime,” Pershey said. “We would go to the middle and then they would stack the box and we would go outside every time.”

And while the Stallions moved the ball well, the same could be said about the Jaguars early.

Northampton drove inside Southwest territory during each of its first three possessions, only to come away with no points. The first drive ended with a turnover on downs that set up Winbush’s 60-yard touchdown run while the next two ended on punts.

“They were pushing the ball,” said Pershey, also a defensive back. “We would go to the sideline to get a couple of breaks and eventually we got it together. We made a couple of tweaks on the line and forced them to the outside and we got the job done.”

Northampton avoided being shutout when Brian Lassiter scored on a 19-yard touchdown run with 2:09 left in the game. He finished with 73 yards, including 24 yards in the second half.

“They ran a few plays that we weren’t quite ready for,” Padgett said, “but once we adjusted to their speed, we shut them down.”

The Stallions certainly hope to do the same next week when they travel to James Kenan, which like Southwest, is recognized as a state power.

“We are not going in there with a big head,” Pershey said. “We just have to practice well and get prepared for this big game.”

NOTE: Padgett dedicated the win to James Spalsbury, who died Wednesday following coaching tenure at Southwest where he helped coach football and baseball.

“He was one of my main guys in the late 80’s and early 90’s,” Padgett said.